


Touch & Go

by ShyVioletCat



Series: Touch & Go [1]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23110681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyVioletCat/pseuds/ShyVioletCat
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: I feel like you should write an emt au/er au. Except Aelin is the medical professional and Rowan has all these suspicious injuries. Except they’re not suspicious, he’s just a klutz. Or something
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Rowaelin - Relationship
Series: Touch & Go [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661155
Comments: 25
Kudos: 113





	1. Chapter 1

Aelin didn’t mind being the attending ER doctor, it kept the job interesting in the small country hospital she worked in. Not that there wasn’t a fair share of accidents, babies and other injuries, there were, although it was definitely quieter than it has been in Rifthold. Just after a messy break up a job had come up in Mistward, a small town bang smack on the border of Wendlyn and Doranelle, Aelin had given up her residency and taken it. She wanted out of the city and this was the perfect excuse.

What she hadn’t really factored in was the loneliness that crept in after the pain of the break up faded away. That’s why she liked to keep busy. If that meant working the ER almost continuously, she’d take it.

Especially when a certain local was quite a frequent visitor. His name was Rowan Whitethorn. She knew that from the amount of times she had to attend to him, the nurse handing her a clipboard with his information on it. Like she knew he had a slight aspirin allergy, his birthday was November 27th, he was 28 years old and was 6′4. He was also one of the hottest people Aelin had ever encountered in her life.

He owned a ranch a little ways out of town, and he had a penchant for taking in animals that no one else wanted. But that also ended up biting, kicking or mauling him a little.

So when Rowan walked in this evening with a bloody tea towel wrapped around his forearm the first thing Aelin asked was, “Who was it this time?”

Rowan gave her a half smile. “It was Reggie.”

_Ah, Reggie the horse who delighted in ripping the flesh of humans._

Rowan sat on the gurney and peeled back the tea towel and Aelin let out an impressed sound.

“He really got you good this time,” Aelin said. “What did you do?”

“Change his water,” Rowan said as he winced.

“I think you’ll need a few stitches,” Aelin said as she looked the wound over.

“I know that’s why I came in.”

“It wasn’t to see my pretty face?” Aelin said as she started to disinfect the wound. Rowan swore as it stung and Aelin tisked. “Don’t be soft.”

Rowan chuckled. “I’m far from soft.”

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Aelin said as she wiped the blood on his skin away. That was an outright lie. Truthfully there was was nothing soft about Rowan. He was made from solid muscle as far as she could tell from all the times she examined him. One time he’d fallen from from a ladder and grazed the back of his shoulder pretty badly. Her mouth had gone dry at the sight of his ridiculously toned and sculpted torso. She tried to clear her head of the image and she injected a mild anaesthetic near the wound so she could give the stitches.

“I’ll be right back,” Aelin said as she left to get what she needed.

It only took her a few moments then she was back, finding Rowan frowning at his arm. Aelin pulled over a table and a stool to keep both Rowan and herself steady.

“Maybe it’s time for Reggie to go somewhere where he won’t try to kill you,” Aelin mused before slipping the needle into his skin.

“He’s just misunderstood,” Rowan said.

Aelin suppressed her snort. There was no need to mess up her stitches, they were a work of art and thanks to that Rowan should have minimal scarring.

“It’s an added bonus,” Rowan said as Aelin started to wrap a bandage around to stitches to protect them.

“What is?” Aelin asked but Rowan didn’t answer until she looked up at him.

“Seeing your pretty face.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr Prompt: okay so like i know it was like just supposed to be a one time thing, but can you add to the emt/er Rowaelin or could you do more of the er/emt for them please
> 
> I’ve had this almost done for ages… I have no excuse. Also I am not vet or doctor so don’t shoot me

Aelin sighed as she flicked through the magazine in front of her. She’d read it cover to cover at lest 5 times, but tonight was slow and she had nothing else to do. And without a distraction her mind just kept going over what Rowan had said the last time he had been in the ER.

_“It’s just an added bonus.”_

_“What is?”_

_“Seeing your pretty face.”_

Aelin slammed the magazine closed and groaned as she recalled what had happened next. She’d been so flustered by his words that her only response had been to laugh, then she hadn’t been able to look him in the eye before he’d left. And laugh was a generous description, it was more of a strangled choking noise. Rowan hadn’t been in since. Aelin wasn’t quiet sure what she would do if he did turn up, but hopefully it wouldn’t be that again.

The sound of rushing feet had Aelin sitting up a bit straighter. It seemed he had been summoned by her thoughts because Rowan appeared. Instinctively Aelin looked him over searching for the injury. There was none she could see. Aelin crossed her arms over her chest pushing that awkwardness deep, deep down.

“Who was it this time?” Aelin asked.

“No one, it’s not me,” Rowan said.

Aelin cocked her head in question.

“Can you come out to my truck?”

“Why?” Aelin said.

“She’s in my truck,” Rowan explained.

“You can’t bring her in?”

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t think that would be very hygienic.”

“It’s an animal?” Aelin blurted.

Rowan nodded. “The vet is closed and she’s cut pretty bad.”

“Alright, I’ll grab some stuff,” Aelin jumped up then and grabbed one of the portable hospital first aid kits. At the last second she thought to grab a hand held electric shaver as well. Then she followed Rowan out to the carpark.

He seemed nervous, concerned. Aelin just hoped she could help whoever was in his truck. Aelin had never seen Rowan’s truck, but now that she had it would be very hard to miss. It was a big, red, beat up thing, and looked pretty old. She assumed that Rowan kept it going by sheer stubbornness. He opened the passenger door and Aelin saw a cat, fluffy with splotches of orange, brown and black over her, but it had little white socks and white on its nose and down it’s chest. Then added to that there were what looked like tabby marking on it as well. It was a very pretty cat.

The cat mewled at Rowan as he opened the door.

“Pearl, it’s ok,” Rowan said as he rubbed at her chin. “Sorry for leaving you.”

Something about seeing Rowan be so gentle with the animal had her heart squeezing.

“What’s wrong?” Aelin asked softly, trying to keep the cat calm.

“She’s got a cut on her back leg, I think she was playing around in the barn and maybe a nail was sticking out. I thought it might need stitches,” Rowan explained. “I would have taken her to the vet but they’re closed and the on call vet is already on call out of town. I just… maybe can you help?” Rowan all but rambled.

“Can you bring her out to the tray so I can get a good look?” Aelin asked. It was dark out but Rowan had conveniently parked under one of the lights in the car park.

Aelin watched as Rowan lifted Pearl out of the car as gently as he could and Aelin laid out a disposable mat. Then Rowan laid the cat down, the poor thing mewling sadly.

“I know, I know,” Rowan said, patting the cat again.

Under the light Aelin could see what the problem was. There was a pretty nasty gash on the cats back thigh. Well she assumed that’s where it was, she wasn’t acquainted with the specifics of cat anatomy. It would need to be closed up so she didn’t lose any more blood or get an infection. Aelin took two heartbeats to come to her decision.

“Alright, this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to shave away some of the fur, then close the wound. I obviously can’t sedate her in anyway, so you’re going to have to keep her calm and as still as you can. Can you do that?”

Aelin didn’t doubt that he could and Rowan nodded.

Aelin started up the clippers, “Here we go.”

Rowan large hands held down the cat, even when she nipped and yowled her distress. Aelin shaved away the hair around the wound before cleaning with a mild antiseptic she hope would be fine to use on cats. Then she opened a pack of Dermaclips, gently but firmly sticking them to the cat’s skin. Without the poor thing being sedated Aelin didn’t want to use a needle and thread and this way the vet could easily fix any of Aelin’s flaws. Aelin pulled the tabs and closed the wound, Rowan still comforting the distressed feline. Then she pulled out a bandage lifted Pearl’s leg slightly so she could start wrapping it. The cat hissed but Aelin kept going, she needed to make sure the cat didn’t attack the wound if she left it uncovered.

“Almost done,” Aelin said, securing the bandage. “There.”

Rowan gave the cat a little more space and she immediately sat up to look at her leg.

“Please take her to the vet, I have no idea if what I did was okay,” Aelin said removing her rubber gloves.

“I will, it just wanted to get the wound closed,” Rowan said as he bundled the cat against him.

“She’s lovely,” Aelin said as she packed up her things. “How old is she?”

“About three, she’s a rescue so I’m not exactly sure,” Rowan said.

“Oh, I have a dog about the same age,” Aelin said. “She’s struggling a bit with the move to a place with a tiny backyard.”

“Yeah? You should bring her out to the farm sometime, let her run,” Rowan offered. “I should get Pearl home.”

Aelin smiled at the cat who still looked royally pissed off. “Good thinking.”

“See you around, hopefully not here,” Rowan said and climbed into his truck, still murmuring to Pearl comfortingly.

Aelin grabbed her things and headed back to the hospital. She was almost at the doors when she realised Rowan hadn’t given her his address, turning back she saw he was well and truely gone. His offer seemed very genuine, and Aelin would very much like to see the farm that caused him so much trouble. Rowan may not have given her his address, but she knew where to find it.


	3. Chapter 3

Aelin walked down the main street of Mistward wearing workout leggings and a matching crop, with a loose grey singlet over the top for a little semblance of modesty. In Rifthold she probably would have forgone the singlet, but here the eyes were a little too familiar. She had just Gone for a through the forest near the edge of town with Fleetfoot to help the dog burn off some pent up energy. It seemed to not have helped in the slightest as the big golden dog practically bounded down the street on their “cool down”.

Aelin kept the Fleetfoot on a short leash as she passed people, mostly locals getting their morning coffees or meeting up for breakfast. Aelin considered getting something herself but with how hyped up Fleetfoot was right now she might break or runaway with whatever Aelin tied her to. So instead she walked, smiling and nodding to some of the patients she recognised if they did so first. Living in a small town cost her some anonymity.

They were almost to the car, and Fleetfoot must have known it, because she suddenly turned around pulling Aelin with her.

“Fleet— oof.”

Aelin hit something solid, a someone it turned out, who was carrying a large bag of animal feed on their shoulder. She practically bounced off him but then a tattooed hand grabbed her by the elbow to steady her. She knew that hand.

Rowan turned a little, revealing his face behind the bag of feed. “Are you alright? Oh, Dr Galathynius.”

Rowan was smiling once he realised who he had just saved from falling on their ass.

“Mr Whitethorn, it’s nice to see you out of the emergency room for once,” Aelin said, then she was tugging Fleetfoot’s lead to stop her from tangling around Rowan’s legs. “Fleetfoot, heel.”

She did no such thing, she nosed at Rowan’s hands eagerly waiting to be pet. Rowan knelt, dropping the bag of animal feed beside him and cupped the dogs face in his hands. Fleetfoot loved the attention and practically tried to climb into Rowan’s lap while licking his face.

“I’m so sorry,” Aelin said as she finally managed to pull her off him. “She’s very friendly and has been missing company I think.”

“She’s fine,” Rowan said as he stood. “I was serious about bringing her out to the farm.” Then Rowan literally slapped his forehead. “I didn’t give you my address.”

“I know it.” The words were out of Aelin’s mouth before she could stop them. When Rowan had driven off the other night she had gone to his file an looked it up. It was most likely a breach of practice but they were friends… kind of. Rowan gave her an amused look, raising an eyebrow in question. Then Aelin admitted quietly, “I may have gotten in from your file.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” Rowan said.

Aelin tried to defend herself, “You invited me.”

“I’m starting to rethink that decision,” Rowan said as he fought a full blown grin.

Aelin felt her cheeks heat and she couldn’t look at him as she shook her head. He was teasing her, she was the one usually doing the teasing, this was leaving her at a loss for words.

“How does Saturday sound?” Rowan said.

Aelin looked up again, Rowan was still grinning. By some grace of the gods she did in fact have Saturday off. “That sounds great.”

“I’ll be home all day, so come at whatever time. You know where,” Rowan added with a wink.

That made Aelin laugh, she had regained her composure and was about to bite back when a sweet, female voice called his name. A woman with pale blond hair and bright blue eyes was approaching them, paying Aelin absolutely no mind. Rowan gave her a small smile which had Aelin feeling slightly disappointed.

“Hello, Remelle,” Rowan said.

Aelin waited for a glance, some kind of acknowledgement but Remelle ignored her still.

“How’s Pearl doing?” She asked Rowan.

“She’s doing really well,” then Rowan indicated to Aelin. “This is Aelin, she was the doctor who helped me out. Aelin, this is Remelle, one of the vets in town.”

Finally Remelle looked at her, disdain written on her face. Aelin levelled her with a look of her own.

“Remelle said you did a pretty good job,” Rowan supplied, seeming oblivious to the ridiculousness going on before him.

“An okay job,” Remelle said with a dismissing shrug.

“No I remember you specifically saying that it was the best that could have been done for Pearl in the situation, especially as she wasn’t treated by a vet. You said the use of those clips was a genius move,” Rowan explained as he absentmindedly patted Fleetfoot’s head, having worked her way over to him again.

Aelin tried, and failed, to hide her smile as Remelle practically bristled with irritation. She took that as her cue to go.

“I should go, come on Fleetfoot, good girl,” Aelin said to the dog as she obliged, although begrudgingly. “See you Saturday?” She added just to see Remelle’s ire increase.

Rowan nodded, gave her a small smile. “See you Saturday.”

Aelin left without another word, Remelle’s burning gaze no doubt shooting daggers at her back.


	4. Chapter 4

Aelin held the piece of paper with directions to Rowan’s place. She didn’t bother with the map app on her phone, once you were away from town the reception got spotty and she didn’t want to risk getting lost out here. Fleetfoot was in the back, nose jammed out the window. The window was only down a little because Aelin didn’t trust her dog enough to keep it the whole way down. Checking the instructions again it looked like it would only be one more turn then they should be on the road the property was attached to.

Fleetfoot whined and Aelin looked back at her in the rear view mirror. “Almost there, girl.”

She spotted a simple wooden arch and slowed down so that she could read the lettering. _Whitethorn_ _Ranch_. Aelin turned into the driveway, lined with neat wooden fences, and she could see a few animals in the distance. She wondered if she’d see the infamous Reggie today. As Aelin drove up the driveway she was a little shocked. When Rowan had described his home in passing when he appeared in the Emergency Room it sounded like a quaint little farm. This place was anything but. It looked like it went on for acres, green grass and beautifully kept. As she got further up she noticed small groups of horses in the paddocks. 

The house came into sight and it wasn’t overly large but it was still beautiful. It was the closest thing to a log cabin Aelin had ever seen with a tall, natural wood picket fence surrounding it. Aelin parked near his truck, she could hear Fleetfoot’s tail slapping against the back seat. 

“Ready?” Aelin asked, turning to face her dog. She just shifted excitedly and panted.

Aelin got out of the car and opened the back door to her car. She clipped the leash on Fleetfoot’s collar before unclipping the harness attached to the seatbelt. As soon as Fleetfoot realised she was free she jumped out of the car, bounding around her master excitedly. Aelin stepped around the overexcited beast and went through the gate to the front door. She knocked but there was no answer, so she knocked again. There was still nothing. 

“Where is he?” Aelin asked no one in particular, but Fleetfoot started tugging on the leash. With not much else to do Aelin followed. The dog led her to a barn, the big doors open. Aelin was confused when she finally heard deep laughter and an exasperated voice.

“I said come here!”

Aelin followed the voice, expecting to see Rowan somewhere on the ground level. But the barn seemed empty. Then there was a thud followed by a colourful curse and Aelin looked up to see Rowan pushing himself up out of the hay filled hay loft. He looked ridiculous, hay caught in his clothes and hair, and a small black and white kitten in his hand.

“Hello,” Aelin said and Rowan immediately looked at her, a grin spreading over his face.

“Hey. You came,” he said. 

“I did, and I brought the dog,” Aelin held up her hand that held the leash, “and I also wanted to drop by and see my patient. You look like a bird in a nest up there.”

Rowan gestured to the kitten in his hand. “They climb up here but they’re too small to get back down.”

“They?” 

Rowan looked down at the hay around him then swooped down like a bird of prey and pulled another kitten from the mess.

“There’s six of them,” Rowan said as he started moving towards the ladder that led down from the hayloft.

“Outside and stay,” Aelin told Fleetfoot as she unclipped the leash and her dog trotted out. Then Aelin went up to the ladder, stepping up a few rungs and Rowan precariously leaned down to pass her one of the kittens, which Aelin gently placed it on the ground, and then got the other.

“Well that’s two,” Aelin said as she watched the kitten play fight each other. 

“Want to come up and help me catch the others?” Rowan asked, sitting back on his heels.

Aelin laughed but then she looked up at him. “Oh you’re serious.”

“A city girl like you afraid of a little hay and tiny kittens?” Rowan taunted.

Aelin rolled her eyes, “Fine. I’m coming up.”

Rowan stood as Aelin started to climb the ladder, lending her his hand as she stepped up onto the loft. 

“Four left to get?” Aelin asked as she reached up to pull a piece of hay from Rowan’s hair before she realised what she was doing.

He nodded. “And they’re sneaky little buggers.”

Rowan walked away slowly, very conscious of where he was standing. Aelin did the same, shuffling more than stepping. She had worn sensible ankle boots, but apparently not sensible enough. The soles of her shoes were slipping on the hay and the wood beneath. Aelin couldn’t help but follow Rowan, the space wasn’t large so there wasn’t much choice. They spent a bit of time rifling through the hay, Aelin looking around some of the stacked bales but still they couldn’t find the little kittens. 

“There’s one,” Aelin said as a ball of fluff jumped out of the hay behind Rowan. 

Rowan was facing her so Aelin lunged for it but let out a yelp in surprise as her foot slipped and she lost her footing. She was about to kiss hay and wood when strong arms caught her just before she landed, not enough to save her completely but enough so that Rowan was able to ease her to the floor of the loft. Rowan had also managed to turn her so they were face to face, his eyes dancing over her features assessing for injury. Aelin would recognise that look anywhere, she had done it countless times. When his eyes met hers she realised just how close they were, lips inches apart and perfectly aligned. 

“Might want to invest in better shoes, Princess,” Rowan said.

“Princess?” Aelin said, laughing breathlessly, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his face, his lips.

Rowan just smiled at her. Then something small, white and fluffy peered over Rowan’s shoulder and Aelin snorted. When Rowan raised a brow in question Aelin just said, “Don’t move.”

Aelin reached up just as the kitten started to rub against Rowan’s ear. Very gently Aelin lifted the kitten off Rowan’s shoulder but then it squirmed in her hand and practically flipped out of it before making its escape.

“Like I said, sneaky devils,” Rowan said as he watched the offending kitten scamper back into the hay. When he looked back at Aelin he picked out a piece of hay from her hair. Aelin watched his face as once again he looked down at her. His eyes darted from her lips to her eyes and suddenly Aelin was aware of how little space was between them as he hovered over her. It would take the smallest of movements and their lips would touch, and then…

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” a female voice called out. “But I’m here to see my patient.”


	5. Chapter 5

Remelle’s entrance could not have come at a worse time.

Rowan had been seconds away from kissing Aelin, a reckless decision on his part. He hardly knew the woman, not that he didn’t want to get to know her better. But he had taken one look at her beneath him as he braced himself above her, her face flushed and eyes bright, and the temptation to close that distance had been overwhelming.

Maybe Remelle’s turning up when she did was not such a bad thing after all. Rowan didn’t want to ruin anything before it started by going too fast.

Regardless Rowan rolled his eyes as he pushed himself to his feet. He knew her tone well enough to tell Remelle was relishing in the fact she had interrupted.

“Pearl is up at the house,” he said looking down towards the barn doors. “I’ll just grab the last of these kittens and I’ll come up too.”

There was a rustling and out of the corner of his eye he saw Aelin sit up. That seem to draw the last of the kittens out from hiding and they bounded over to her, climbing into her lap.

“Oh, so now you want to play,” she said, holding one of the fluffballs up in both her hands while another fought her shoe.

Rowan managed to scoop up the attacking kitten before it could run away again and grabbed a little tabby as it darted away to hide again. “I’ll go down then you can pass me those.”

“Sounds good,” Aelin said as the little black one climbed on her knee. She shifted the white kitten she already held to one hand and then picked up the black one, then stood carefully, trying to keep hold of the kittens and not fall at the same time.

Rowan easily got himself down the ladder and put the kitten safely on the ground. Aelin lent down and passed down the last of the kittens to him then he waited for Aelin to come down herself, not trusting her shoes for one second. He hovered but she managed to get down without mishap and landed with a small jump.

“Oh no,” Aelin said looking suddenly alarmed as she watched the last kitten go out the barn door. “I should make sure Fleetfoot hasn’t eaten those kittens. I don’t think she’s seen a cat in her life.”

Now equally alarmed Rowan followed her outside but it turned out they needn’t have worried. The big golden dog had made herself as small as possible, lying flat on the ground, nose sniffing at the kitten who had fluffed itself up as much as it could as it hissed at the dog.

Aelin let out laugh. “Um, good girl Fleetfoot.”

The dog’s eyes flicked up to her master.

“I’ll protect you,” Rowan said and scooped up the aggressive fluffy mess. “I have to see how Pearl’s doing but there’s an empty field to the west of the house if Fleetfoot wants to go for a run.”

“You say that like I know which direction west is,” Aelin said.

That made Rowan smirk and pointed west. “That way. There’s no animals to torment her.”

“I’ll grab the toys from the car and go over,” Aelin told him and headed for her car.

Rowan let out a heavy sigh and turned towards the house, hopefully he’d be able to dismiss Remelle quickly. But knowing her he didn’t like his chances.

~~~~~

As expected Remelle kept him longer than she needed to, asking inane questions about nothing. But the good thing was that Pearl was doing well and recovering like she should. So leaving the cat on her favourite spot on the couch he had to practically close the door in Remelle’s face, insisting he was being rude to his guests. From the expression she gave him he could tell she didn’t care in the slightest. Once Remelle was hidden behind the solid wood he went out his back door to find said guests.

Aelin was easy to spot, her golden hair shining in the sun. Fleetfoot bounded over to her through the grass a tennis ball in her mouth. She dropped it at Aelin’s feet, nose down, butt in the air, hopping from side to side. Aelin used a stick with a cup on the end to throw it again.

“That’s a fancy contraption,” Rowan said as he approached her.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. “No need to get my hands dirty.”

Rowan looked down at his own hands, it was barely late morning and there was already dirt and gods knew what under his fingernails and the creases of his knuckles despite how many times he’d washed his hands. And Aelin, she was so… clean.

He came and stood beside her and instead of dropping the ball at Aelin’s feet, Fleetfoot dropped it at his.

“I think she’s sweet on you,” Aelin said.

With one hand he patted Fleetfoot’s head and then the other picked up the ball and threw it.

“That’s quite an arm,” Aelin said as she tracked the trajectory of the ball. Then she turned to face him fully. “Nice place you got here. What is it exactly you do besides find ways to hurt yourself?”

“My uncle actually owns the place. He’s one of the biggest horse breeders in Doranelle and that’s where his main ranch is. This place is a hub location for those who don’t want to travel all the way to Doranelle and he’ll drop off horses here that are going to other parts of Wendlyn, but I do keep a small herd here to sell myself for anyone interested.”

“What kind of horses does he breed?” Aelin asked.

Rowan threw ball for Fleetfoot again. “Work and leisure horses mainly. His son is an avid showjumper so he’s dabbled in that. But, yeah, mainly ranchers buy his horses.”

Aelin nodded, like she approved. “How did you end up here?”

“My cousin who worked here got married and wanted to be closer to family. It ah…” Rowan cleared his throat, not wanting to delve into this part of his past just yet. “It came at an opportune time for me. Perfect actually.”

If Aelin noticed his slight shift in mood she gave nothing away, and didn’t pursue that line of questioning either. Instead she asked him something he didn’t expect.

“So, Reggie,” she said with a smile, “is he a troublesome horse your uncle sent to you to sort out?”

“No, not this time,” Rowan said.

“This time?”

“It’s something my uncle does do, if he’s low on time or trainers,” Rowan explained. “But Reggie is a rescue. He’s been in some bad places so I can’t blame him for the way he acts.”

“Do you often take in rescues?” Aelin asked as she threw the ball this time with her stick.

“Most of my animals are rescues actually,” Rowan said.

Aelin’s eyes lit up. “Your animals?”

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck. “I have a few actually. I can —“ Rowan’s phone started to buzz distracting him, he pulled it out of his pocket and saw a reminder going off telling him to bring in a horse for a buyer to see. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go get a horse. If Remelle hadn’t taken so long I would have taken you on a tour but…” he gave her a hopeful smile. “Maybe next time?”

He could tell Aelin was fighting her smile, and possible a snarky remark, as she said. “I think I’d like that.”


End file.
